Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Veronica Rodriguez
When Veronica Rodriguez arrived in the U.S. from Venezuela two years ago, she had to figure out how to start her life over again—and where to begin. She decided to work on improving her English first, which led her to Daley College. Veronica decided to pursue Daley’s Career Bridge program, which helps students improve their…
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Sarah Choy
Sarah Choy had already earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from the University of Minnesota before returning to the classroom as a City Colleges student. She decided to learn a trade skill in stenography—or short-hand writing—soon after graduation because she knew a master’s degree program would be too expensive for her budget. However,…
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Brenda Najjuma
“Ambitious” and “overachiever” are words that have been used to describe Brenda Najjuma. They’re also traits that have gotten her where she is today. Brenda is a computer science student at Wilbur Wright College and a summer intern at Fermilab. She’s been accepted into the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Engineering Pathways Program for the fall…
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Kaliyah Chestang
Kaliyah Chestang is learning first-hand about being a woman in tech in her One Summer Chicago internship at the Kennedy-King College Tech Launchpad. A Kennedy-King College student working toward her Associate in Arts with a focus on psychology, Kaliyah now has a new shorter-term career goal in cybersecurity as she earns a bachelor’s degree and…
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Jamurai Soldier
Olive-Harvey College student Jamurai Soldier is putting his classroom knowledge to work this summer as an operations intern for Carl Buddig Meat Company in Homewood, Illinois. In the role of junior analyst, Jamurai is earning $20 an hour as he spends his summer analyzing data, creating pivot tables and charts, and interviewing line supervisors, ultimately…
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Jessica Atieno-Walker
Although she speaks softly, Jessica Atieno-Walker exudes confidence when she discusses life’s possibilities. She earned her Associate in Arts in Business/Economics from Harold Washington College in May 2023 and hopes to one day work in the field of international business. Jessica immigrated to the United States from Mombasa, Kenya, at the age of 12, which…
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Jaurique McClain
As Jaurique McClain was finishing up his final year at South Side Occupational Academy, he heard about the new After 22 pilot program that was launching at Daley College. The program connects adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to career training, educational opportunities, and jobs. It was perfect timing. Jaurique, who was diagnosed with autism…
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Shlesha Patel
Wright College alumna Shlesha Patel has her sights set on a four-year degree in mechanical engineering. Thanks to a scholarship, fellowship, and more, she’s getting closer and closer to achieving that goal. Shlesha was selected from a robust group of applicants as the Fall 2022 TCP-CTA Transfer Scholarship winner, which is administered by the City…
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Cristian Olivares
Cristian Olivares, born on the south side of Chicago, is a young entrepreneur with a plan, but he never intended to go to college nor work with NASCAR. “My dad went to college and although he didn’t force me, my parents encouraged me heavily to obtain a higher education,” said Cristian. “At first I was…
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Jean Matthews
When Jean Matthews decided to finish her college journey at Harold Washington College, it had been more than 40 years since she’d been in the classroom. Still, she says her age hasn’t been a barrier to furthering her education. “Everybody that I’ve met is so kind to me,” she said, referring to the Harold Washington…
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